Frank Lloyd Wright

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Hardy House Gas Meter Shield

Put in parentheses between all the kudos Gene Szymczak has gotten for his rehabilitation of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Thomas P. Hardy House in Racine has been the oft-repeated question, “But what about the ugly gas meter in front of the house?” Moving the meter is cost-prohibitive even though some Wright-philes have proposed a Kickstarter fund to help out.

Wonder no more. Chad Nichols, the Racine craftsman who reprised Wright’s wood gates (removed by the third owners, 1947-1957) has made a shield to cover the front of the meter. It is open to the top and sides so meter readers can access it. The house number is in the middle of the shield.

What counts is the authenticity. Gene would not have used the color had it not been felt this is original, so there is nothing for him to hide. This is the color found at base of some of the stucco. It is virtually the same as that on Wright’s Gardener’s Cottage at the Darwin D. Martin House in Buffalo from the same time period. Concentrate on the fact that he has saved the house for another 100 years and got a Wright Spirit Award, in the midst of armchair sniping at him for this, that, or the other thing. You got me at a very grumpy time and struck a bad chord.

A good point, Mark. Colors (and gutters) come and go but the house in its totality is what counts. The current owner has proven to be a great steward of the house and has been generous in opening the house after it being inaccessible for so many decades. *Big Picture*